As part of an official ceremony held in mid-December, the Myanmar Air Force celebrated the delivery and induction of the last two Su-30SME fighter-bombers acquired from Russia. With this final batch, the Southeast Asian country has completed the incorporation of a total of six Russian-made aircraft into its combat fleet.
In early January 2018, during an official visit by the then Minister of Defense of the Russian Federation, Sergei Shoigu, Myanmar formally expressed its intention to acquire new Su-30SME fighter aircraft. In total, the agreement for six fighter-bombers amounted to approximately $400 million.
Given the turbulent situation in the country, the delivery of the six jets was staggered over time. To provide context, the first two Su-30SMEs arrived in the country in December 2022 (serial numbers 1904 and 1905), while the second pair followed a year later, at the end of December 2023 (serial numbers 1906 and 1907).
The final delivery under the 2018 contract took place on December 15, when the last two aircraft arrived in the country. They were officially unveiled during a ceremony held at the aviation school of Meiktila Air Base (in the city of Mandalay), coinciding with the celebrations marking the founding of the Myanmar Air Force.
Regarding the Su-30SME (designated Flanker-H by NATO), this is the export version of the Sukhoi Su-30SM in service with the Russian Armed Forces. It is equipped with the N035 Irbis radar and the same AL-41F1 engines used in the Su-35S, the most modern version of the Su-30 family. Lastly, in terms of armament, it is compatible with R-73M air-to-air missiles, Kh-59MK2 cruise missiles, and various types of guided bombs.
Cover photographs used for illustrative purposes.
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